MS Brahe
USS PCE-830 was a U.S.-built Patrol Craft Escort (PCE) vessel launched on 13 June 1943 by the Pullman-Standard Car Company of Chicago, Illinois. It was transferred to the Royal Navy and given the name HMS Kilchrenan in August 1943. As of 2020 it operates as the cruise ship MS Sunnhordland in Norway.[3]
 Kristina Brahe in her civilian state in Savonlinna, 2008. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Kilchrenan |
| Builder | Pullman-Standard Car Company, Chicago, Illinois |
| Laid down | 24 December 1942 |
| Launched | 13 June 1943 |
| Commissioned | 31 August 1943 |
| Stricken | 1947 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate |
|
| Status | in active service, as of 2010 |
| General characteristics as PCE | |
| Class and type | PCE-842-class patrol craft |
| Displacement | 640 long tons (650 t) |
| Length | 180 ft 6 in (55.02 m) |
| Beam | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Draft | 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 100 |
| Armament |
|
| General characteristics as cruise ship[2] | |
| Tonnage | 1,105 gross register tons (GRT) |
| Length | 56.8 m (186 ft 4 in) |
| Beam | 10.08 m (33 ft 1 in) |
| Draft | 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) |
| Decks | 4 |
| Propulsion | 2 × Caterpillar, 1,275 kW (1,710 hp) |
| Speed |
|
| Capacity | 45 passenger cabins |
| Crew | 18 |
Service history
World War II, 1943–1946
Kilchrenan spent her war years homeported in Gibraltar performing convoy and patrol duties along the western African coast. Returned to U.S. Navy custody in December 1946, she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1947.
In commercial service, 1947–present
She was purchased by Norwegian Hardanger Sunnhordlandske Dampskipsselskap (HSD) in 1947, rebuilt as a passenger ship and given the name Sunnhordland. She ran for several years in western Norway.
The ship was sold to Finland in 1974 as Kristina Brahe and until 2010 operated as a passenger ship by Kristina Cruises of Kotka, Finland, making short cruises in the Baltic Sea and Lake Saimaa.[4] The Kristina Brahe was sold to Saimaan Matkaverkko Ltd in August 2010. Her name was shortened to simply Brahe.[5] In 2015 she was sold again, and brought back to western Norway where she operates as a cruise ship. Her name was changed back to Sundhordland.[3]
References
- "Kristina Cruises – M/S Kristina Brahe / Specifications". www.kristinacruises.com. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
- "Home".
- "Kristina Cruises – M/S Kristina Brahe / Introduction and history". www.kristinacruises.com. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
- Saimaan Page
